This is approximately an hour and a half, six part video of the television version of Fires in the Mirror.
It was uploaded on demarcation’s channel Jan 17, 2011.
The presentation is based on “Anna Deavere Smith's play, "Fires in the Mirror." Smith's dramatic technique is highly unusual. She interviews hundreds of citizens and community leaders, recording their words and then composing the play as a series of fragments from these interviews. She then memorizes their exact words and intonations and performs all of the roles in a one-woman show. "Fires in the Mirror" chronicles a civic disturbance in the racially divided neighborhood of Crown Heights, Brooklyn NYC, in August 1991.”
Pay particular attention to how Smith represents each of the characters through her voice, physical movements, and costumes. The presentation of the television version is different from that found in the script. For one thing the sequence of the characters is reordered from that found in the stage script. And the insertion of recorded segments from local and national television news coverage of the violence is not evident in the play script. Do you think that helps or hinders the dramatic flow of the events? Note in the introduction to the script Smith indicates that she has a broader intention, particularly to explore and present aspects of the “American character”. In what ways does she accomplish her aim thru performance?
Watch all six parts to experience the full dramatic effect that was intended by the television version. The final part is particularly moving.
This is approximately an hour and a half, six part video of the television version of Fires in the Mirror.
It was uploaded on demarcation’s channel Jan 17, 2011.
The presentation is based on “Anna Deavere Smith's play, "Fires in the Mirror." Smith's dramatic technique is highly unusual. She interviews hundreds of citizens and community leaders, recording their words and then composing the play as a series of fragments from these interviews. She then memorizes their exact words and intonations and performs all of the roles in a one-woman show. "Fires in the Mirror" chronicles a civic disturbance in the racially divided neighborhood of Crown Heights, Brooklyn NYC, in August 1991.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnkrUJny0CE
Pay particular attention to how Smith represents each of the characters through her voice, physical movements, and costumes. The presentation of the television version is different from that found in the script. For one thing the sequence of the characters is reordered from that found in the stage script. And the insertion of recorded segments from local and national television news coverage of the violence is not evident in the play script. Do you think that helps or hinders the dramatic flow of the events? Note in the introduction to the script Smith indicates that she has a broader intention, particularly to explore and present aspects of the “American character”. In what ways does she accomplish her aim thru performance?
Watch all six parts to experience the full dramatic effect that was intended by the television version. The final part is particularly moving.